Ajay Parasram

Ajay Parasram is an Associate Professor cross-appointed to the Department of International Development Studies, Department of History, and Department of Political Science at Dalhousie University in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. His work critically examines the colonial present through the lens of structural violence related to race, caste, class, and patriarchy.

Dr. Parasram's educational background includes a BA (Honours) from Dalhousie University, an MA from Carleton University, and a PhD from Carleton University. His transnational, multigenerational experience as a byproduct of empire deeply informs his research and teaching approach.

Parasram's research focuses on three primary interconnected areas: pluriversal sovereignty with particular attention to 19th century Sri Lanka's entanglements in the British empire; settler-colonial studies and decolonial options grounded in his experience as an immigrant to Mi'kma'ki; and a SSHRC-funded project examining the racialization of Asian international students to Canadian universities. His scholarship challenges conventional narratives of development, sovereignty, and citizenship, arguing that many contemporary structural forms of violence have roots in imperial encounters that have been sanitized of their colonial histories.

His extensive publication record demonstrates consistent engagement with themes of coloniality, sovereignty, and racialization. Recent work shows an increasing focus on pluriversal approaches to sovereignty, settler-colonial critique, and the application of decolonial theory to contemporary political challenges. His scholarship bridges historical analysis with urgent contemporary concerns about racial justice, Indigenous sovereignty, and alternative political imaginaries.

Among his notable recognitions are:

• SSHRC Insight Grant as Co-Investigator and project lead for the Halifax case study on racialization of Asian international students
• Founding Fellow at the MacEachen Institute of Public Policy and Governance (2019-2021)
• Chair and Program Chair of the Global Development Section of the International Studies Association (2019-2020)

Parasram actively mentors graduate students interested in colonial, postcolonial, anti-colonial, and decolonial studies. His teaching includes courses on the colonial foundations of development studies, M.K. Gandhi, postcolonial politics, and activism. He has received research funding through competitive grants like the SSHRC Insight Grant, which supports his work on racialization experiences of Asian international students in Canadian universities.

As a scholar-activist, Parasram engages with public discourse through media commentary, podcasts, and public speaking on issues of racial justice, colonial legacies, and decolonial possibilities. His work bridges academic scholarship with public engagement, challenging dominant narratives while offering alternative frameworks for understanding sovereignty, citizenship, and justice.